Masonicinfo Note: Let's be REALLY honest here. This problem is not limited to "Mainstream Masonry". Prince Hall Masonry, and various non-recognized bodies (can we spell the word F-R-E-N-C-H in particular) have all had their problems. Have they had fewer? Yep! Why? Oh, it seems pretty simple and we'd think someone who'd studied economics could have sussed this out pretty quickly: there are fewer of them! Oh, and then there's those irregular and 'fake/sham' groups. Have they had such problems? Who knows? They don't make their financial transactions public in any way (unlike "Mainstream Masonry") so who'd ever be able to tell if they did. Their multitude of members all seem to be totally internet ignorant (despite their claims of a highly-educated and 'hip' membership) so who would ever know if they did have such problems. In our section on 'Fake Masonry', we've shown several groups which were and/or could very easily be engaged in bad behavior as well as some who're obviously designed to simply siphon funds from the unsuspecting.

"1) Masonic Lodges have for ad infinitum refused to bring in outside professionals to run their complicated programs and financial processes. Hence many Grand Lodges have amateurs running giant Masonic Charity Programs, amateurs running Masonic Retirement Communities and amateurs running a multi million dollar end of the businesss <sic> of Grand Lodge finances. What qualifies these amateurs? They are Masons and they work cheaply. Many Grand Lodges are very wary of taking chances entrusting outside professionals with private information and dealings of Grand Lodge. Therefore to keep all that they do secrative <sic> and to save money they will appoint a Grand Lodge Officer or in house "expert" to perform the duties which would be much better and more safely be performed by an outside professional or a professional agency."

Masonicinfo Note: Has this blogger ever had ANY experience attempting to balance the budget with competing priorities for ANY body relating to a Grand Lodge? (Or using a spell checker???) In an online self-glorification piece, he makes no reference to any credentials he might have - and that's because he has NONE. Perhaps he'll explain how he came to be so clever without any degrees or experience but we doubt it. He does have a college minor in Economics which might have caused him to take at least a course or two in micro-economics so perhaps he might want to write a treatise on how Grand Lodges can more effectively budget? (I have a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Government and a minor in Economics Magna Cum Laude so I'll be happy to take match point on the testosterone of relevant college degrees since I've brought comparative credentials into the discussion above.)

Three other points here, the first relative to retirement homes: ALL nursing homes and most group homes ("Masonic Retirement Communities") are both state and federally regulated. It's a requirement if they want to receive Medicaid dollars and precious few nursing homes - NO Masonic home - could exist without that! Nearly every state has LICENSING for Administrators of those homes and no state offers exemptions to ANY home (be they Masonic, Elks, or whatever) if an Administrator happens to be a member of the group. So while there are amateurs in the fantasy world of the "Squire", there are state-licensed Administrators in the real world of elder homes. An internet search will readily reveal that each year a number of administrators throughout the country lose their license for matters involving embezzlement or fraud.

The second point relates to 'outside management'. Not that long ago, Masonic organizations (including some Grand Lodges) were bringing in professionals with no Masonic connections to provide advice and guidance. The most spectacular failure we noted in this regard was the use of consultants for the Order of DeMolay of which the blogger is a Senior Member. Can the blogger with his grandiose schemes present a single case which shows the unparalleled value of such services?

The third point should be blatantly obvious except to the deliberately obtuse: EVERY organization is subject to fraud and embezzlement. The US federal government counts such matters in the billions each year. They don't have volunteer amateurs handling their finances as the poster claims Grand Lodges do so one would think that they, state and city governments, etc. would all be immune. Curiously, they aren't. Ah, but it's easier to just castigate Freemasonry, right?

And one must wonder if this blogger has any clue as to the professional qualifications of those who serve on Grand Lodge Committees? Just because JD or CPA is not listed on a GL website doesn't mean that folks with those degrees aren't a part of the process! Has he checked the qualifications of those involved with the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, for example? He could have, quite easily, made contact with the Secretary to the Grand Master who, if memory serves, was also a Past Master Councilor of the blogger's DeMolay Chapter in that state!

Of course, the proof is in the pudding and so perhaps, since he has a college degree minor in economics, he'll be able to provide some statistical proof showing that Masonic activities are more prone to embezzlement than the general public. No? Oh, so this was all just hot air then; a ploy for attention. Uh-huh. Got it! 

"2) As you can see the government - the state of Massachusetts - is now involved in the investigation. Although they were asked in this does not mean that with future problems of another nature the state government would also not intervene and demand to see the records of Grand Lodge and documents and records it would always keep private."

Masonicinfo Note: This blogger, despite his proudly noting his service as Master of a Lodge in Massachusetts twice, seems blissfully unaware that nearly every Grand Lodge in the United States, his own former jurisdiction of Massachusetts included, has regularly included financial information about all of their various activities (balance sheets and income statements) in their Annual Proceedings, easily obtainable from the Grand Lodge office for less than the price of a paperback book at the local food market. And you don't have to be a Mason to buy one either.... Big hush-hush, huh?

He concludes:

"Moral of the story. Find a better way to screen out dishonrable <sic> people."

Masonicinfo Note: Great idea. Does "dishonrable" <sic> include people who belong to the organization but denigrate it and issue blanket condemnations of its members at every turn? Does "dishonrable" <sic> include people who support those who would overthrow the organization and/or those who tell deliberate lies about it?

Maybe the better moral of the story is for him to shut up and get a spell checker....